# US 12,216,348 B2 · Display device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,216,348 B2 - Document ID: US12216348B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/756,684 - Filed: 2022-05-25 - Published: 2024-06-20 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2022-04-27 - Assignees: Guangzhou China Star Optoelectronics Semiconductor Display Technology Co., LTd. - Applicants: Guangzhou China Star Optoelectronics Semiconductor Display Technology Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Xiaobin Hu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12216348B2 ## CPC - G02F 1/133345: {Insulating layers (G02F1/1335, G02F1/1337, G02F1/135, G02F1/136 take precedence)} - G02F 1/134309: {characterised by their geometrical arrangement} - G02F 1/134372: {for fringe field switching [FFS] where the common electrode is not patterned} - G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS ## Abstract A display device is provided. A liquid crystal display panel has a first display area and a second display area. When the display device displays, a brightness of the first display area is lower than a brightness of the second display area. The liquid crystal display panel includes a pixel electrode, a common electrode, and an insulating layer disposed between the pixel electrode and the common electrode. A thickness of at least part of the insulating layer in the first display area is greater than a thickness of at least part of the insulating layer in the second display area. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A display device, comprising a liquid crystal display panel and a backlight module located on a light incident side of the liquid crystal display panel, wherein the liquid crystal display panel has a first display area and a second display area, when the display device displays, a brightness of the first display area is lower than a brightness of the second display area, and wherein the liquid crystal display panel comprises: a pixel electrode; a common electrode electrically insulated from the pixel electrode; and an insulating layer disposed between the pixel electrode and the common electrode, wherein a thickness of at least part of the insulating layer located in the first display area is greater than a thickness of at least part of the insulating layer located in the second display area; wherein a plurality of the pixel electrodes are arranged in an array along a first direction and a second direction, and the first direction intersects with the second direction; wherein the insulating layer comprises at least one groove defined in the second display area, first protrusions each of which is located between two adjacent of the at least one groove in the first direction, and second protrusions each of which is located between adjacent two of the first protrusions; and the pixel electrode comprises a middle part extends continuously in the first direction, and side parts in contact with the middle part; wherein the middle part is arranged on the first protrusion, and the side parts are arranged in respective ones of the at least one groove; wherein an orthographic projection of the second protrusion on the common electrode is not overlapped with orthographic projections of two of the pixel electrodes adjacent to the second protrusion on the common electrode; wherein the first protrusion has a same thickness as the second protrusion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The display device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid crystal display panel further comprises a scan line extending along the first direction and a data line extending along the second direction, and the scan line is arranged between two rows of the adjacent pixel electrodes in the second direction; and wherein at least part of a gap between the two adjacent pixel electrodes in the first direction overlaps with at least part of the groove. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The display device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid crystal display panel further comprises a scan line extending along the first direction and a data line extending along the second direction, and the scan line is arranged between two rows of the adjacent pixel electrodes in the second direction; and wherein one of the grooves overlaps with a part of one of the pixel electrodes and a part of a gap between the two adjacent pixel electrodes in the first direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The display device according to claim 3, wherein a shape of the pixel electrode is a rectangle, and the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction; wherein a middle part of the gap between the two adjacent pixel electrodes in the first direction is arranged on the second protrusion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The display device according to claim 4, wherein a ratio of a size of the first protrusion in the first direction to a size of the pixel electrode in the first direction is greater than 0 and less than or equal to ½, and a ratio of a size of the second protrusion in the first direction to a size of the gap between two adjacent pixel electrodes in the first direction is greater than 0 and less than or equal to ½. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The display device according to claim 4, wherein the two adjacent grooves in the second direction are defined in two opposite sides of the scan line, and wherein the insulating layer further comprises a third protrusion, and the third protrusion is located between the two adjacent grooves in the second direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The display device according to claim 6, wherein a size of the groove in the second direction is lesser than or equal to a size of the pixel electrode in the second direction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The display device according to claim 4, wherein the two adjacent grooves in the second direction communicate with each other. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The display device according to claim 3, wherein the insulating layer comprises a passivation layer, the groove is defined on the passivation layer, and a depth of the groove is less than a thickness of the passivation layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 3) The display device according to claim 3, wherein the insulating layer comprises a passivation layer and a gate insulating layer, the groove is defined on the passivation layer, and a depth of the groove is less than or equal to a thickness of the passivation layer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 3) The display device according to claim 3, wherein the insulating layer comprises a passivation layer and a gate insulating layer, the groove is defined on the passivation layer and the gate insulating layer, and a depth of the groove is less than a sum of a thicknesses of the passivation layer and a thickness of the gate insulating layer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The display device according to claim 1, wherein a side of the first protrusion in the first direction is greater than a size of the second protrusion in the first direction. ### Claim 13 A display device, comprising a first display area and a second display area, wherein the display device comprises a liquid crystal display panel, and the liquid crystal display panel comprises: a first substrate; a second substrate disposed opposite to the first substrate, wherein the second substrate has a bearing surface close to the first substrate; a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the liquid crystal layer comprises a plurality of liquid crystal molecules; a pixel electrode disposed on the bearing surface of the second substrate; a common electrode disposed on the bearing surface of the second substrate, wherein the common electrode is electrically insulated from the pixel electrode and is used for forming a driving electric field with the pixel electrode for driving a deflection of the plurality of the liquid crystal molecules, and wherein a horizontal electric field component of the driving electric field in the first display area is lower than a horizontal electric field component of the driving electric field in the second display area, and a direction of the horizontal electric field component is parallel to the bearing surface of the second substrate; and an insulating layer disposed between the pixel electrode and the common electrode, wherein a thickness of at least part of the insulating layer located in the first display area is greater than a thickness of at least part of the insulating layer located in the second display area; wherein a plurality of the pixel electrodes are arranged in an array along a first direction and a second direction, and the first direction intersects with the second direction; wherein the insulating layer comprises at least one groove defined in the second display area, first protrusions each of which is located between two adjacent of the at least one groove in the first direction, and second protrusions each of which is located between adjacent two of the first protrusions; and the pixel electrode comprises a middle part extends continuously in the first direction, and side parts in contact with the middle part; wherein the middle part is arranged on the first protrusion, and the side parts are arranged in respective ones of the at least one groove; wherein an orthographic projection of the second protrusion on the common electrode is not overlapped with orthographic projections of two of the pixel electrodes adjacent to the second protrusion on the common electrode; wherein the first protrusion has a same thickness as the second protrusion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The display device according to claim 13, wherein the liquid crystal display panel further comprises a scan line extending along the first direction and a data line extending along the second direction, and the scan line is arranged between two rows of the adjacent pixel electrodes in the second direction; and wherein one of the grooves overlaps with a part of one of the pixel electrodes and a part of a gap between the two adjacent pixel electrodes in the first direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The display device according to claim 14, wherein a shape of the pixel electrode is a rectangle, and the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction; wherein a middle part of the gap between the two adjacent pixel electrodes in the first direction is arranged on the second protrusion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The display device according to claim 15, wherein a ratio of a size of the first protrusion in the first direction to a size of the pixel electrode in the first direction is greater than 0 and less than or equal to ½, and a ratio of a size of the second protrusion in the first direction to a size of the gap between two adjacent pixel electrodes in the first direction is greater than 0 and less than or equal to ½. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The display device according to claim 15, wherein the two adjacent grooves in the second direction are defined in two opposite sides of the scan line, and wherein the insulating layer further comprises a third protrusion, and the third protrusion is located between the two adjacent grooves in the second direction. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The display device according to claim 17, wherein a size of the groove in the second direction is lesser than or equal to a size of the pixel electrode in the second direction. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The display device according to claim 15, wherein the two adjacent grooves in the second direction communicate with each other. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The display device according to claim 14, wherein the insulating layer comprises a passivation layer, the groove is defined on the passivation layer, and a depth of the groove is less than a thickness of the passivation layer.